In known methods of molding a semiconductor chip, one or more support pins are used to enter a mold cavity to support a lead frame during a mold encapsulation process. The support pin is removed from the mold assembly as the encapsulation compound starts to harden. This method suffers in that the movement of the support pin within the molten encapsulation compound causes severe wear of the support pin, which, in turn entails replacement cost. Moreover, support pins may interfere with the flow of the molten encapsulation compound within the mold cavity.